Disbursement Rules & Pell Grants
Disbursement Rules
All students receiving financial aid must meet the disbursement requirements of each aid program awarded in order for aid to be disbursed. Dropping classes, withdrawing, or registering for fewer hours than indicated on your application may cause a change in or denial of your financial assistance. Below is a chart explaining the disbursement requirements for each aid program. (The Pell grant is listed separately due to its unique and very specific requirements).
Federal Pell Grant
The amount of Pell grant you may receive is based on the number of hours indicated on your Financial Aid application.
12 hours or more is full-time enrollment
9-11 hours (3/4 time) or
6-8 hours (1/2 time)
The Pell grant is federally funded "gift" aid and is not normally repaid, however, if a change in your enrollment status occurs prior to the census date (full-time to 3/4 time or less), you will be responsible for repayment of the difference between the amount you received and the amount specified for the new status. Withdrawal after the census date may also necessitate repayment.
| Type of Aid | Minimum number of enrolled hours to be eligible | Can dropping classes change my eligibility? |
Can withdrawing from the university require repayment? |
| SEOG GRANT | 6 HOURS | YES | YES |
| TPEG GRANT | 6 HOURS | YES | YES |
| TEXAS GRANT | N/A | YES | YES |
| STAFFORD SUBSIDIZED LOAN | 6 HOURS |
YES | YES |
| STAFFORD UNSUBSIDIZED LOAN | 6 HOURS | YES | YES |
| FEDERAL PARENT PLUS LOAN * | 6 HOURS | YES |
YES |
FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN |
6 HOURS | YES | YES |
| COLLEGE ACCESS LOAN | 6 HOURS | YES | YES |
| ACG | 12 HOURS | YES | YES |
| BEONTIME LOAN | 12 HOURS | YES | YES |
| SMART GRANT | 12 HOURS | YES | YES |
| SCHOLARSHIPS | 12 HOURS | YES | YES |
Financial Aid Counseling
Financial Aid Loan Entrance Counseling – Before A&M-Commerce disburses your Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized), regulations require that you complete an entrance counseling session.
The counseling session provides information about how to manage your student loans, both during and after college. To complete entrance counseling requirement click here on entrance counseling .For your records, print the confirmation page that appears after you complete entrance counseling.
All students receiving a Federal PLUS loan must complete
Loans by Web in order to complete the loan process.
Loan recipients who are first time freshman borrowers are required to have a 30 day hold from the first class day on their student loans. This requirement is a federal regulation.
Loan recipients who are receiving their loan money for Fall only or Spring only, are required to have 2 disbursements within that single semester. Half of this money will be disbursed at the beginning of the semester and the other half will be disbursed at the midpoint of the semester. This requirement is a federal regulation.